Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Management
Degree Program
Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Management major receive an undergraduate professional education in the context of a broad, liberal education. Breadth is demonstrated through completion of courses outside the School of Public Administration, including the areas of: general education, transnational studies and math and computer languages; pre-major requirements in economics, political science and sociology; and general electives.
The course of study within the major (54 units) includes three components: a common core of courses, including an internship, that provides a broad foundation; a choice of one of three specialized tracks — public institutions and public policy, public management, or health care policy and management; and policy area electives in an issue area of the student’s choice.
Other special features of the undergraduate programs include the semester programs and the senior honors seminar.
Careers in Public Policy and Management
Graduates receive preparation for a variety of entry-level professional positions in the public sector, in not-for-profit agencies and in for-profit companies which provide public policy and public services or which must be knowledgeable of, and sensitive to, public policy and public affairs concerns. Graduates also are prepared for law school and related careers in law, as well as for graduate work in such fields as policy analysis, business and public administration, health services administration, gerontology and social work.
Degree Requirements
Requirements for the major are listed below.
General Education Requirements
The university’s general education program provides a coherent, integrated introduction to the breadth of knowledge you will need to consider yourself (and to be considered by other people) a generally well-educated person. This new program requires six courses in different categories, plus writing and diversity requirements, which are described in detail here.
All students who (1) entered the School of Public Administration as freshmen in the summer of 1997 or later; or (2) began college elsewhere in the summer of 1997 or later; or (3) began college earlier but transfer to USC in the summer of 2000 or later, must satisfy the requirements of the new general education program. Other students whose schedules permit are encouraged to follow the new program as well. However, continuing and transfer students who began college full-time before summer 1997 and enter USC before summer 2000 may elect to satisfy a "transitional" plan instead. Transitional students majoring in public administration must take two courses in the natural sciences (categories III and IV).
Math/Computer Languages MATH 108 or MATH 116 or higher and ITP 101 or higher (8 units)
Transnational Studies Select one of the following
a. Foreign Language — demonstrated competency through third semester of foreign language, or
b. Semester Abroad — equivalent of 8 semester units, or
c. Two courses (8 units) from Transnational Electives list
Transnational Electives Units ECON 350 The World Economy 4 GEOG 120 Geopolitics 4 IR 101x International Relations 4 IR 306 International Organizations 4 IR 307 Contemporary International Politics 4 IR 330 Politics of the World Economy 4 LING 115 Language, Society, and Culture 4 PLDV 250 Third World Cities 4 PPMT 482 Comparative Public Administration 4 Pre-Major Requirements
Pre-Major Courses (16 units) Units ECON 203 Principles of Microeconomics 4 ECON 205 Principles of Macroeconomics 4 POSC 100 Theory and Practice of American Democracy, or POSC 300 Principles, Institutions, and Great Issues of American Democracy 4 SOCI 200 Introduction to Sociology, or SOCI 342 Race Relations 4 General Electives (10 units)
Public Policy and Management Core Courses
Core Courses (30 units) Units PPMT 215 Public Organizations and Management 4 PPMT 220 Simulated Policy-Making in Urban Systems: Theory and Practice, or PPMT 200 Politics and Public Policy 4 PPMT 225 Public Policy Processes and Institutions 4 PPMT 240 Citizenship and Public Ethics 4 PPMT 357 Government and Business 4 PPMT 401 Public Policy and Management Issues and Practices (Internship) 2 PPMT 404 Statistics in Public Policy and Management 4 PPMT 473 Public Policy Analysis 4 Tracks
Students select one track for degree emphasis; they take 16 units (four courses) from the track selected.
Public Institutions and Public Policy Track (16 units) Units PPMT 350 Urban Institution and Policies 4 PPMT 371 The Nonprofit Sector and the Public Interest 4 PPMT 313 Finance of the Public Sector 4 PPMT 482 Comparative Public Administration 4 PPMT 486 Politics and Administration, or PPMT 410c Washington, D.C., Semester 4 Public Management Track (16 units) Units PPMT 313 Finance of the Public Sector 4 PPMT 316 Administration of Personnel Resources 4 PPMT 351 Financial Accounting in Public and Nonprofit Organizations 4 PPMT 403 Management Analysis I 4 PPMT 414 Financial Management of Public and Nonprofit Organizations 4 PPMT 416 Introduction to Personnel Technology in Public Employment 4 PPMT 417 Training and Applied Behavioral Science 4 PPMT 485 Organizational Behavior in Public Administration 4 PPMT 486 Politics and Administration, or PPMT 410c Washington, D.C., Semester 4 Health Care Policy and Management Track (16 units) Units PPMT 230 Introduction to Health Policy and Management 4 PPMT 330 Introduction to Health Care Systems 4 PPMT 351 Financial Accounting in Public and Nonprofit Organizations 4 PPMT 439 Administration of Health Care Organizations 4 Management Courses for Health Care Specialization
in lieu of policy electivesUnits PPMT 414 Financial Management of Public and Non-Profit Organizations 4 and one of the following: PPMT 316 Administration of Personnel Resources 4 PPMT 403 Management Analysis I 4 PPMT 485 Organizational Behavior in Public Administration 4 Policy Area Electives
Students are encouraged, but not required, to specialize in a single issue area (8 units). Students can develop their own policy issue area subject to approval of faculty advisor.
Urban Issues (8 units) Units PLDV 440 Housing and Community Development 4 PLDV 480 Introduction to Urban Transportation 4 POSC 320 Urban Politics 4 PPMT 350 Urban Institutions and Policies 4 PPMT 406ab Los Angeles Mini Semester 4 PPMT 421 Government and Administration in Metropolitan Areas 4 Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and Class (8 units) Units AMST 202 Interethnic Diversity in the West 4 HIST 245 Gender and Sexualities in American History 4 POSC 421 Ethnic Politics 4 POSC 442 The Politics of Human Differences: Diversity and Discrimination 4 PPMT 406ab Los Angeles Mini Semester 4 SOCI 342 Race Relations 4 SOCI 360 Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power 4 SOCI 435 Women in Society 4 SOCI 437 Sexuality and Society 4 Environment and Population (8 units) Units GEOG 255 American Environmentalism 4 GEOG 257 Environment and Ethics 4 GEOG 345 Conservation of Natural Resources 4 GEOL 108L Crisis of a Planet 4 POSC 347 Environmental Law 4 POSC 436 Environmental Politics 4 SOCI 333 Environment and Society 4 SOCI 344 Population, Business, and Public Affairs 4 SOCI 385 Population, Society, and Aging 4 Comparative and Development Administration (8 units) Units ECON 340 Economics of Less Developed Countries 4 IR 325 Rich and Poor States in the World Political Economy 4 PLDV 250 Third World Cities 4 PPMT 482 Comparative Public Administration 4 Crime and Justice (8 units) Units POSC 432 The Politics of Local Criminal Justice 4 PPMT 340 The American System of Justice 4 PPMT 342 Crime and Public Policy 4 SOCI 351 Sociology of Juvenile Delinquency and the Juvenile Justice System 4 Health (8 units) Units ECON 472 Economics of Medical Care 4 GERO 416 Health Issues in Aging 4 PPMT 230 Introduction to Health Policy and Management 4 PPMT 330 Introduction to Health Care Systems 4 PPMT 439 Administration of Health Care Organizations 4 SOCI 475 Medical Sociology 4 National Policy Issues (8 units) Units PPMT 410a, d Washington, D.C., Semester 4-4 Policy Area Electives Options
Students who have elected the Public Institutions and Public Policy track may take two courses in the Public Management track offering in lieu of policy area electives.
Students who have elected the Public Management track may take two courses in the Public Institutions and Public Policy track offerings in lieu of policy area electives.
PPMT 498 Senior Honors Seminar may be substituted for one of the policy area electives.
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